Houriki
' Houriki or Buddhist magic' is a form of “clerical” magic. It is the knowledge, and understanding of the flow of energy; both intellectually and intuitively. The ability to discern the flow of this energy as it changes from one form to the next, how it is aligned, when it aligns, and in what conditions its alignment or flow will change grant the monk the ability to act on this knowledge to manipulate, even change the flow entirely. Knowing how to channel one's energy and to understand its flow is paramount. Monks are able to discern not only how the energy is flowing and its unique qualities, but change it as they see fit. This allows them to alter the very framework of their spells, not just their effect, but their shape and form, their very manifestation. Houriki is not something that something that one can obtain through purity and virtue. Instead the power seems to come from the innate strength of one’s tamashii or soul. Spiritual powers include the following: '''- Psychic sensitivity: For Buddhist Monks/Nuns, the ability to discern, and manipulate the flow of the energies of the world around them is a necessary skill in using their unique magic. Clerics posses extraordinary sensory input in regards to energy, and demonstrate a highly acute level spiritual awareness. They are able to detect what is referred to as "ripples in a pond", the subtle vibrations, wavelengths, the ebb and flow of energy as it propagates through the world. Their senses are so precise, that they can detect the presence of spiritual beings, the use of supernatural abilities, and even the presence of magic as it is cast within the area. A spiritual energy signature is often described using a variety of senses, from its color, texture, taste, even how it appears to interact with the environment. Clerics can discern minute details about a person or object by "reading" imprints left by their presence long after they have gone, and accurately describe their movements. - Purification/exorcism spells' ' ' ' The primary weapons in a cleric’s arsenal is exorcising spirits, banishing them to their home realms, and driving away foreign influences, such as drugs. Naturally this ability makes Houriki extremely effective against spiritual beings, drastically increasing the potency of the cleric’s attacks and binding effects. Clerics’ can easily "purify" and in essence cause the very spiritual bonds that make up spiritual creatures to dissolve and destabilize. Akari can simultaneously use his energy absorption abilities to tear them apart at their most basic level and absorb their spiritual essence. However, beings of strong spiritual power are able to resist its effects, though are no less subject to the heightened effects of Houriki. Powers exercising any sort of mental control over another, either through possession or some form of magic, can be removed very easily by clerics. Usually these are delivered though a physical medium such as an arrow, a paper charm, a shinto staff, or even a handful of salt. Very powerful spells can be delivered though the cleric’s own body, but this is debilitating and potentially fatal to the spell-caster. '- Sealing spells. ' Advanced techniques that transcribe the cleric’s spells onto ready-made paper-tags with runes etched onto them. By using one of these sealing tags the cleric can quickly and at no cost manifest the transcribed spell. Alternatively, they can use them to augment their magic, generally by exhausting the sealing tag as part of the casting, or drawing a symbol of the magic on a surface. By using these sealing tags they can more easily afflict their targets with effects as when it is directly attached to a person or spiritual being the effects of that spell are magnified many times over. Sealing magic of course goes far beyond the realm of simple paper-tags, as by combining this skill with enhanced barrier magic, the cleric can create pocket dimensions, used to store items, or even seal powerful entities. - Kekkai '(結界, lit. "''Bounded Field"): Are magical fields created through a bounded network of spiritual energy spread across an environment to create a mystical boundary line that seperates the space within from the outside world. Onmyojutsu and Houriki allow the clertic seperate the energies of yin and yang in order to project a measure of his own inner world; in essence a localized pocket dimension. These boundaries are fields of space enclosed from reality, but as the world serves as the template, they mimic the environment they are created in. However since this is a pocket dimension, structural damage dealt within the field disappears upon dimissal of the field, similiarily, changes in the surrounding reality do not affect the area within the field, nor do changes in the field affect the surrounding reality. By erecting such fields, the cleric is able to harness and greatly empower their own abilities within the confines of these fields. This requires intense concentration and cannot be maintained very long. Though skilled clerics can create much stronger and more stable barriers. *'Godai Kekkai ("五大結界, lit. "''Five Elements Field"):' Is a field that rewrites the elemental properties of magic used within in, by blocking the flow of energy from one element to the next. Essentially, this field allows the cleric to restrict and deny the casting of any element of their choosing, be it a combination or none at all. Attempts to use a restricted element, are in effect against the nature of the established "reality" which causes it to attempts to crush the attempt, drastically increasing the cost of such spells, and causing backlash against the caster, such as mental fatigue, or even physical injury, all dependent on the strength of the spell they cast. Conversely using an allowed element is both easier, and its cost is reduced significantly. The erected field is generally invisible to the senses, and can be created over a vast area. Due to how this field interfere's with the elemental composition of spells, non-elemental spells are also affected, making their casting all the more difficult as well. *'Jiseigyo ("時制御, lit. "Time Control"):' A bounded field, that is capable of altering the flow of time within its confines. However unlike other forms of time manipulation, it cannot be used to reverse time to rewrite changes in the past, nor it can it stop time. It is limited to causing time to stagnate within the area by slowing it down, or accelerating the passage of time. It is often utilized defensively, to aid him in defending against attacks. However one of the most ingenious uses of the field is by containing the field around the body, and allowing to cleric to temporarily accelerate to speeds far beyond their own level. '-''' Healing Spells ' ' The body requires strength to recover from an injury. Of course people have various speeds of healing, but there’s a certain limit to regeneration. So if a person were to cut their arm, it would heal, but if they cut it off, they can’t grow it back like a lizard can grow back its tail. This is a advanced technique that supports a person’s own strength and guides it to heal or regenerate the body even better than a lizard could. It can even grow back an arm. The spell can only heal surface injuries however, internal injuries or torn muscles can only be healed by rest. '- Shinjinbukai Jurin' (lit. "Godly Subjugation") ' ' One of the most terrifying skills at the clerics’ disposal is the ability to utilize their unique magic to subjugate spiritual creatures binding them to their will. It works by breaking down the basic elemental properties that exist within nature and by extension all things in creation, allowing the cleric to influence the harmony between yin (will) and yang (physical) energies. By doing so they can manipulate the very spiritual alignment of another creatures spiritual power, thereby directing it. Given that most creatures have such conflicting emotions and ideals; it is easier to simply control the body, and not the mind itself, almost as if they were a puppet. Once dominion is established the cleric can bind them to him, allowing the cleric access to their perceptions, minds, and control over their bodies at any other time. Category:Techniques